October 6th, 2009 / 11:35 am
Craft Notes & Random

Craft Notes with Peter Jackson

frighteners

I just finished watching the director’s commentary track on the re-issue of The Frighteners, a movie I truly love despite the fact that it’s deeply flawed, wildly uneven, and basically a failure. (It’s like the Philip K. Dick of horror-comedy crossover movies; though not like a Philip K. Dick movie). Hearing Peter Jackson discuss what he feels went right about the film, what went wrong, and how it all came together–or didn’t–was fascinating. I wasn’t much of a Peter Jackson fan going in–in fact I didn’t realize he had directed this movie until I netflixed it this most recent time–but something about his candidness, coupled with his obviously fan-boyish enthusiasm for cinema in general, really won me over. Plus I learned that he made a FOUR AND A HALF HOUR documentary about the making of this film, which apparently I need to netflix separately. As of this writing, it’s already on the queue. Does anybody else have favorite failed work of art, be they literary, musical, or filmic? I’d be interested to hear what, and why.

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50 Comments

  1. Nathan Tyree

      DePalma’s Bonfire of the Vanities is a beautiful trainwreck

  2. Nathan Tyree

      DePalma’s Bonfire of the Vanities is a beautiful trainwreck

  3. Roxane

      I love musicals as spectacular failures because so much time, effort and money goes into them and all too often, they crash and burn. In recent memory, I’m thinking of 9 to 5, with music by Dolly Parton. This was a huge, multimillion dollar project that should have, on paper, succeeded wildly. And yet, it closed rather quickly and it’s hard to pinpoint why. I thought it was a fun fun show.

  4. Roxane

      I love musicals as spectacular failures because so much time, effort and money goes into them and all too often, they crash and burn. In recent memory, I’m thinking of 9 to 5, with music by Dolly Parton. This was a huge, multimillion dollar project that should have, on paper, succeeded wildly. And yet, it closed rather quickly and it’s hard to pinpoint why. I thought it was a fun fun show.

  5. Drew

      Yellowbeard. That movie is so atrocious, and has so many intriguing actors. You can see the trainwreck happening as you watch it. “Highly recommend”

  6. Drew

      Yellowbeard. That movie is so atrocious, and has so many intriguing actors. You can see the trainwreck happening as you watch it. “Highly recommend”

  7. Lincoln

      Titus Andronicus is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays even though most of the world considers it deeply flawed.

  8. Lincoln

      Titus Andronicus is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays even though most of the world considers it deeply flawed.

  9. davidpeak

      Abel Ferrara’s “The King of New York.” Frank White’s intentions and actions essentially cancel each other out, but the night club shootout toward the end more than makes up for any shortcomings.

  10. david erlewine

      I wonder if they’d waited 10 years…Hanks would have had the chops.

      GD, he sucked in that.

  11. davidpeak

      Abel Ferrara’s “The King of New York.” Frank White’s intentions and actions essentially cancel each other out, but the night club shootout toward the end more than makes up for any shortcomings.

  12. david erlewine

      I wonder if they’d waited 10 years…Hanks would have had the chops.

      GD, he sucked in that.

  13. david erlewine

      that’s a question. not sure Tommy ever would. That movie had many, many other problems.

      Speaking of TW, when is A Man in Full hitting the big screen? haha

  14. david erlewine

      nodding – enjoyed that one in a sick way

  15. david erlewine

      that’s a question. not sure Tommy ever would. That movie had many, many other problems.

      Speaking of TW, when is A Man in Full hitting the big screen? haha

  16. david erlewine

      nodding – enjoyed that one in a sick way

  17. MIchael James

      Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter 3

      With Tha Carter 1 he was just becoming self-aware, realizing the potential of hip hop and of himself. He realized he wasn’t where he needed to be lyrically to be a contender, so he started working on his craft. I’ve followed him since the Hot Boyz, and I saw the improvement.

      Tha Carter 2 he needed to prove something. You’d be surprised how many works of art (screenplays/film included) are so fucking great because the artist had something to prove. To theirself and others. It makes you not give a shit but also throw your talent towards the tip of Kilamanjaro with the only safety net being your knowledge that you’re going to “go hard”, or in the words of the street fighter announcer, “go for broke”.

      And damn it if he didn’t straight merc every track on that album. I still listen to “Hustla Muzik”. But I mean, there is so much soul, pain, bravado, intelligence, humor on the span of that album, that its a classic. Simple.

      But then after making the rounds and dropping mixtapes, gaining buzz, and having people proclaim him the greatest, he slacked off. Nothing more to prove really. Laziness crept in. He didn’t have to work as hard to get a BJ, because he had a bunch of people waiting around with their mouths like a fish ready to go.

      I mean, Tha Carter 3, lyrically, content wise, in comparison to Tha Carter 2 and his potential as an artist, is a failure. Its inconsistent. You can tell he’s not trying. So I won’t try to give you the benefit of the doubt. Plus, most of the mixtape stuff was better. Its supposed to be: the album is equally as good or better, not worse than what the mixtape is supposed to be: exercise.

      It still pisses me off. And he’s still going downhill. I mean, sure, “A millie” is great. But it really only has, what, 8 bars total that are just ass backwards, slap your momma, call the fire dept illness. He has a bar in that song which goes (paraphrasing slightly): “call me a bic ‘cuz i keep that flame”

      …… plus the way he said it…. Wayne…. really?

  18. MIchael James

      Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter 3

      With Tha Carter 1 he was just becoming self-aware, realizing the potential of hip hop and of himself. He realized he wasn’t where he needed to be lyrically to be a contender, so he started working on his craft. I’ve followed him since the Hot Boyz, and I saw the improvement.

      Tha Carter 2 he needed to prove something. You’d be surprised how many works of art (screenplays/film included) are so fucking great because the artist had something to prove. To theirself and others. It makes you not give a shit but also throw your talent towards the tip of Kilamanjaro with the only safety net being your knowledge that you’re going to “go hard”, or in the words of the street fighter announcer, “go for broke”.

      And damn it if he didn’t straight merc every track on that album. I still listen to “Hustla Muzik”. But I mean, there is so much soul, pain, bravado, intelligence, humor on the span of that album, that its a classic. Simple.

      But then after making the rounds and dropping mixtapes, gaining buzz, and having people proclaim him the greatest, he slacked off. Nothing more to prove really. Laziness crept in. He didn’t have to work as hard to get a BJ, because he had a bunch of people waiting around with their mouths like a fish ready to go.

      I mean, Tha Carter 3, lyrically, content wise, in comparison to Tha Carter 2 and his potential as an artist, is a failure. Its inconsistent. You can tell he’s not trying. So I won’t try to give you the benefit of the doubt. Plus, most of the mixtape stuff was better. Its supposed to be: the album is equally as good or better, not worse than what the mixtape is supposed to be: exercise.

      It still pisses me off. And he’s still going downhill. I mean, sure, “A millie” is great. But it really only has, what, 8 bars total that are just ass backwards, slap your momma, call the fire dept illness. He has a bar in that song which goes (paraphrasing slightly): “call me a bic ‘cuz i keep that flame”

      …… plus the way he said it…. Wayne…. really?

  19. The Fiction Advocate

      Heaven’s Gate, the follow-up to The Deer Hunter.

  20. The Fiction Advocate

      Heaven’s Gate, the follow-up to The Deer Hunter.

  21. david erlewine

      oh yes

  22. david erlewine

      oh yes

  23. Ben Spivey

      The Movie Johnny Mnemonic, because it has Keanu Reeves, Dolph Lundgren, Ice-T, Henry Rollins, and Takeshi Kitano in a cyperpunk film.

  24. Ben Spivey

      The Movie Johnny Mnemonic, because it has Keanu Reeves, Dolph Lundgren, Ice-T, Henry Rollins, and Takeshi Kitano in a cyperpunk film.

  25. Ken Baumann

      Yes.

  26. Ken Baumann

      Yes.

  27. joseph

      Wolfe’s “I Am Charlotte Simmons” can be found on the remainder table at B&N. Apparently people weren’t into it. I was somehow.

      Jello Biafra’s side project with The Melvins is simultaneously embarrassing and delicious.

      On film…Hostel II is for all intents and purposes a steaming hunk of shit. But for some reason I watched it On Demand the other night from start to finish.

  28. joseph

      Wolfe’s “I Am Charlotte Simmons” can be found on the remainder table at B&N. Apparently people weren’t into it. I was somehow.

      Jello Biafra’s side project with The Melvins is simultaneously embarrassing and delicious.

      On film…Hostel II is for all intents and purposes a steaming hunk of shit. But for some reason I watched it On Demand the other night from start to finish.

  29. MIchael James

      oh wait, you said favorite. Tha Carter 3 aint a favorite. How did I read that wrong?

      A favorite failure? Make that Guyver 2. No one saw it. And everyone should have. Best choreographed fight scenes I’ve ever seen. To date. Period. And the CG still stands up and it came out in ’95 ish.

      The acting is hilarious. The guy who stars in it is the voice actor for Solid Snake. Plus a boatload of other video games. Talented guy.

  30. MIchael James

      oh wait, you said favorite. Tha Carter 3 aint a favorite. How did I read that wrong?

      A favorite failure? Make that Guyver 2. No one saw it. And everyone should have. Best choreographed fight scenes I’ve ever seen. To date. Period. And the CG still stands up and it came out in ’95 ish.

      The acting is hilarious. The guy who stars in it is the voice actor for Solid Snake. Plus a boatload of other video games. Talented guy.

  31. joseph

      TREMORS (ALL)

  32. joseph

      TREMORS (ALL)

  33. Tony O'Neill

      The entire movie output of Andy Milligan is pretty hypnotic. He directed such classics as “The rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are here!”, “Gutter Trash”, “Guru, The Mad Monk” and his amazing take on the Sweeny Todd story “The Bloodthirsty Butchers”. His stuff is so wild, and strange and camp that you kind of forget that it stinks, and you get sucked into it.

      Justin, I cant believe you are going to watch a 4 and a half hour documentary on the making of The Frighteners. That’s insane. You’re my hero.

  34. Tony O'Neill

      The entire movie output of Andy Milligan is pretty hypnotic. He directed such classics as “The rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are here!”, “Gutter Trash”, “Guru, The Mad Monk” and his amazing take on the Sweeny Todd story “The Bloodthirsty Butchers”. His stuff is so wild, and strange and camp that you kind of forget that it stinks, and you get sucked into it.

      Justin, I cant believe you are going to watch a 4 and a half hour documentary on the making of The Frighteners. That’s insane. You’re my hero.

  35. daniel bailey

      santa with muscles

  36. daniel bailey

      santa with muscles

  37. Drew Toal

      Rollins ruled in that movie.

  38. alexis orgera

      Toys. Tagline: “Laughter is a state of mind.” Robin Williams. Robin Wright Penn. Joan Cusack. LL Cool J. Directed by Barry Levinson. This might have been one of the biggest flops in movie history, and I loved every minute of it–it was like a coloring book come to life. There’s a great bathroom singing scene with Robin Wright Penn and Joan Cusack.

  39. alexis orgera

      Toys. Tagline: “Laughter is a state of mind.” Robin Williams. Robin Wright Penn. Joan Cusack. LL Cool J. Directed by Barry Levinson. This might have been one of the biggest flops in movie history, and I loved every minute of it–it was like a coloring book come to life. There’s a great bathroom singing scene with Robin Wright Penn and Joan Cusack.

  40. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Bruce Willis was all wrong for Fallow. What a cock-up that casting was.

  41. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Bruce Willis was all wrong for Fallow. What a cock-up that casting was.

  42. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      “It’s sweet”

      Bonus points to anyone who can name the movie in which that quote is used in reference to Titus Andronicus.

      I love that play too

  43. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      “It’s sweet”

      Bonus points to anyone who can name the movie in which that quote is used in reference to Titus Andronicus.

      I love that play too

  44. Dan Wickett

      Ditto, at least on the original

  45. Dan Wickett

      Ditto, at least on the original

  46. david erlewine

      oh shit yeah, bruce willis’s casting was worse than Hanks’…can’t believe I forgot about that.

  47. david erlewine

      oh shit yeah, bruce willis’s casting was worse than Hanks’…can’t believe I forgot about that.

  48. jojo

      a little night music with elizabeth taylor and its search for coherence.

  49. jojo

      a little night music with elizabeth taylor and its search for coherence.

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